1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a waterproof electrical connector comprising first and second connectors which are connected to each other.
2. Description of Related Arts
This type of connector is used for applications requiring a relatively slight degree of waterproof properties, for example, a toilet seat with bidet that sprays hot water from underneath and dries with air.
Generally, an annular waterproof packing is arranged on the outer periphery at a front end of a cylindrical housing of a male connector. When the male connector is inserted into a cylindrical housing of a female connector, therefore, the waterproof packing is first inserted.
In this case, if fitting accuracy between the housings of both the connectors is made too strict, it becomes difficult to insert the waterproof packing, so that the fitting accuracy between the housings is a little loosely set.
When positioning between the housings is bad, however, an end surface on the side of connection of the housing of the male connector is abutted against a contact (e.g., a post pin) of the female connector, so that a smooth fitting operation between both the connectors may not be attained.
On the other hand, it is proposed that a front end in the connector connection direction of the housing of the male connector has a double cylindrical structure having an inner cylinder and an outer cylinder, and an annular waterproof packing is arranged on the outer periphery of the inner cylinder (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open Gazette No. 07-142116, for example).
In this case, when the male connector is connected to a female connector that is its counterpart, a cylindrical housing of the female connector is inserted between the outer cylinder and the waterproof packing. At this time, the outer cylinder of the housing of the female connector is fitted in the inner periphery of the outer cylinder to position the housings of both the connectors, thereby enhancing fitting accuracy between the housings.
Since the double cylindrical structure is used, however, the configuration becomes complicated, so that the connector increases in size.
An object of the present invention is to provide a waterproof electrical connector whose configuration can be simplified and which is small in size.